Flames
by DaChocolat
Summary: Meredy is forced to relive one of her most horrid moments in a nightmare. Macbeth notices and tries to offer his comfort.


**This was my first time writing Midnight/Macbeth! I was really damn nervous because I always strive to portray the characters as IC as possible. So man I've been soooo happy to hear that my friend who commissioned it likes it! As usual reviews would be appreciated a lot. Hope you all are doing well guys!**

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Tonight they got blessed by a starry sky, not like the night before this one. It had been the most uncomfortable night in the open since a long time and neither of them had been amused. Though who would be, honestly. Wet clothes, no shelter to be found and coldness – those were no conditions for camping but they currently had no other option.

Macbeth shifted his attention back to the fire, the flames softly cackling and creating the only sound that could be heard right now. It was his turn to keep guard and even though neither of them really assumed that anything was going to happen tonight they took this task seriously. They were capable mages, _very_ capable mages, but a surprise attack was still not something they were willing to deal with if it could be avoided.

They had almost reached their destination, currently seeking for a particular group of criminals. Jellal had led the way as he tended to do and every nowand then Macbeth and Erik had obviously and quite bluntly voiced their doubts. Were they really going into the right direction? Erik, as a dragon slayer, with his enhanced senses had attempted to convince Jellal otherwise but the blue-haired man seemed certain of his decision.

Tchz. If he led them into the wrong direction then he'd certainly get to hear something from not only him and Erik but also the rest. Most likely.

Macbeth crossed his arms, observing the quite soothing play of the fire for some more moments before he closed his eyes. Not because he was tired but just to relax. He possessed some quite good senses as well so he could allow himself to rely on his hearing only for a short while and closing his eyes. It was simple but this position always granted him some kind of relaxation.

He could impossibly know that this was the very moment someone close to him got dragged deeper into the cruel world created by a nightmare.

Meredy knitted her brows in her sleep that was deep still but not pleasant or energizing anymore. Her lower lip twitched indicating that something was stressing her out and the reason would soon become clear.

 _Everything around her was burning down, large deadly flames mercilessly eating up every single thing and being surrounding her. It was like a fiery demon with an unmistakable desire to kill everything in its way and she could feel her green eyes widen, her body freeze._

 _But she was unable to move. Her feet didn't listen to what she tried to tell them so desperately, each of her screams dying in her throat. Death. It was death and destruction everywhere she looked, even within herself._

"No…," she whimpered, began to toss and turn lightly where she was lying on grass not all too far away from where _their_ fire was still alight but peacefully so unlike the one in the awful nightmare she was experiencing.

 _'Not again. Please, please I beg you,' she thought as still no words managed to slip past her dry lips. Nothing seemed to help, nobody seemed to hear or see her. Where were they? They had to be alive! Please let them be alive! She could impossibly lose the ones she loved the most a second time. She wouldn't be able to bear it. She'd already lost Ultear. She couldn't lose them, too!_

 _It was the day she lost her parents and her hometown all over again. She had been so young but the same feeling was clutching her, the same fears. She felt so left alone and helpless as all she could do was to watch how everything around her burnt down, with no sight of her friends and she felt how her knees began to give in beneath her._

 _Why? Why was this happening?_

Her body was shaking and tears had begun to escape her yet closed eyes trickling across her cheeks. Another begging whimper could be heard and her breathing hitched just as though something had just hit her.

That was when Macbeth opened his eyes and turned his head in silent alarm. He had taken note of the silent sounds coming from the pinkette. At first he hadn't paid attention to her tossing in her sleep but as soon as it became obvious that something was not right he had begun to focus his attention on her entirely and the sound she just released was what finally caused him to go look.

He had known Meredy for some time know and often he and Erik pretended that her carefree attitude annoyed them while in reality it could be refreshing. That, and they both knew that there was more about her. He didn't know many details of her past but he knew enough to know that she too had gone through quite some difficult situations, and that she had been part of a dark guild much like himself. She was so much more than just this cheerful side of her.

Now seeing her so unsettled and crying stirred something in him and after another moment he decided to stand up and walk over to her. Perhaps it was because he knew how it was to experience nightmares frequently… and perhaps it was also because he was, in fact, no uncaring asshole even though some of them liked to claim that they were such sometimes. And perhaps… No, that was for another time to ponder on.

His brows knitting further. He carefully placed a hand on her shoulder to test how she would react to a touch and it turned out that it had been the right decision because once his palm came into contact with her she shot up as if struck by lightning. "NO!"

Meredy's chest was heaving and lowering like crazy, her tear-strained eyes wide with absolute horror and her hands trembling. Macbeth was looking squarely into her eyes and the sheer fear he was facing almost hurt him. Never before had he seen her like this.

All the two mages did for a couple of heartbeats was to focus each other. It seemed as if the female still had to register that she was back in the here and now, the only fire that was cackling around her being the small one they had lit together before the nightfall. And most importantly; she was not alone.

Averting her eyes she glanced around needing to check that everything was alright herself. Everyone was still here… including herself and when she looked back at Macbeth who still hadn't looked away she suddenly felt the need to hunch up. Her right hand lifted to brush across her cheeks and she sniffled silently, holding her gaze lowered now. She felt foolish even though she knew that there was no reason for it.

"You were dreaming." It was Macbeth who broke the silence and he did it calmly. He was eyeing her, his features still rather stern but there was something soothing in his voice.

For how long had he been watching her? For how long had she been stuck in this nightmare? What time was it? She felt weirdly exhausted but at least her breathing had begun to calm down a little. Still, the horror and the heartache this nightmare brought along… It would last for a while and she knew it.

"Did I wake you up?" Meredy dared to reply at last. Her voice was still shaky and she hated it though didn't start any attempt to hide it or ignore what just happened either.

"No. I'm on guard."

"Oh…" She brushed her nose with the back of her hand and then pulled up her knees wrapping her arms around them to hold them close. Her eyes were stinging still and she was trying so desperately not to think about the images printed into her mind. No, worse. It wasn't just images. There were _memories_ also, and right now they were as vivid as ever. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" His reply came without any hesitation. He couldn't hold back the tiny hint of judgment that lingered in his voice but it was only because she was being ridiculous. Apologizing for a nightmare? He knew what hell that could be and he didn't like to admit it, no he despised it, but it was the truth. Nightmares may not be real but they sure as hell caused very real pain and emotions and not the ones of the positive kind.

Meredy fell silent and once again she lowered her gaze under his intense look. There was something in his eyes she had never quite seen before but she didn't have the nerve to think about it any further. Instead she rested her chin on top of her knees emitting a shaky sigh. Of course, yes, he was right. There was not really something for her to apologize for. She just wasn't sure how to handle the current situation.

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep again now didn't make it any better. Meredy looked at Macbeth out of the corner of her eyes. It would most likely offer some comfort knowing that he was here with her but she could impossibly ask this of him. Or could she? No. No, no. "I think I'm fine now. Thank you for looking after me." It meant a lot. In fact it meant more than she or he were realizing right now.

The man nodded in return and looked her over. He doubted that she was fine though, seeing how her hands were still shaking slightly, but he wouldn't straight out voice this thought of his. What he also didn't say was that he took it for granted to look after her, that this is how it should be. Was it not? Instead Macbeth shifted his position and sat down next to her, eyes averted as he spoke. "I'm staying here with you." Observing how unsettled she had been, how her eyes were still slightly red from her tears had affected him though he tried his best not to show it. He wanted to be here for her even if there was not a lot he could do. If _this_ was what he _could_ do though then he would.

Meredy ended up blinking, genuinely surprised by his words. He wanted to stay with her? "You really don't have to." For a moment she even managed to forget her weak voice and her occasional sniffles, glancing up at him just to see that he had turned his head away from her. She had no idea why but it drew a very faint smile from her, the steadiest one she could manage after having gone through such a nightmare.

"Thank you…"

"You should really stop thanking me for nothing," he retorted and finally, slowly turned his head back. When he did so he caught the glimpse of her smile before it vanished and he crossed his legs and arms falling into one of his most common postures. Yes, he would stay and watch over her while he was keeping guard anyway.

"I'm… just gonna try to curl up again then." Meredy didn't dare to say that she was going to get more rest but she laid back down after getting another nod from her comrade and friend. His care had made her heart swell with _warmth_ in this _cold_ situation and when she closed her eyes she found the image of his face in her mind and decided that she would try to focus on it instead of the horrors she had gone through in her nightmare.

She truly didn't think that she would manage to fall asleep again… let alone receive peaceful rest. But eventually she did, lying curled up against the male.

Perhaps it was because of his attentive gaze as he watched over her. Perhaps it was because of the cautious, hesitant hand of his that dared to tread its fingers through her pink locks every time he felt her move a little, concerned that she would get dragged into a new nightmare and trying to soother her.

But whatever it was, she was certain that it had to do with _him_ and she was so very grateful for it.


End file.
